Table of contents for 2025-11-03 in Cape Argus

The City of Cape Town has been accused of using SAPS challenges as political ammunition and engaging in “testosterone-driven size comparisons” in its recent statement about SAPS deployments. The criticism follows Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’s comments that City policing resources “are increasingly overtaking SAPS with 560 more City policing vehicles now on the roads” compared to the SAPS, based on 2025 fleet data. He touted how the City further added 1 263 new officers to the streets since 2021 – a 48% growth in personnel – while the SAPS dropped by an estimated 1 300 officers (15% decline) over the same period. Hill-Lewis said the metro is urgently seeking more policing powers for City officers to help the SAPS fight crime, particularly crime investigation powers to build conviction-ready case dockets for…

Parliament has launched an inquiry to collect public submissions on the pressing issue of statutory rape. The inquiry stems from a National Assembly resolution passed in July, aimed at reviving discussions initiated in the previous term when the EFF first brought the motion to the forefront. In public hearings and stakeholder engagements held on Friday and Saturday in Gauteng, representatives from various sectors came together to confront the grim realities faced by young girls coerced into premature adulthood. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth, and Persons With Disabilities, Liezl van der Merwe, expressed urgent concerns as she revealed that many young victims of statutory rape remain unaware of being forced into motherhood and adulthood prematurely. “Teachers and nurses are aware of these crimes, yet they fail to report…

THE SAPS has not clarified the reasons behind the delay in releasing the quarterly crime statistics, which are expected to be made public this month. Initially expected to be released in August, then September, the postponement of the first-quarter crime statistics has drawn sharp criticism from political parties and civil society organisations. Last week, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, warned that the delay is not merely a technical issue but one that “undermines public confidence, data integrity and trust in the police”. Both ActionSA and the DA have voiced serious concern over the police’s failure to deliver the statistics on time, calling for transparency and accountability. ActionSA MP Dereleen James said the latest failure comes amid deepening turmoil within the Police Ministry, marked by uncertainty…

THE City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Mobility Department has wrapped up a month-long campaign aimed at improving road safety and easing traffic congestion, calling on residents to take greater responsibility on the road. The City’s Transport Month 2025 campaign, themed “Road Safety – Share the Road Responsibly”, ran throughout October and focused on changing driver behaviour and promoting awareness among motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. At the closing Motorist Activation outside the Civic Centre, officials urged drivers to be more mindful behind the wheel. “We play a key role in keeping traffic moving safely. Our officers monitor busy intersections, enforce traffic rules and act against dangerous behaviour like illegal stopping, speeding and blocking intersections,” said the City’s Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith. Mayco Member for…

Nuno Espirito Santo celebrated his first win as West Ham manager on Sunday as his spirited team battled from behind to beat Newcastle 3-1 at the London Stadium. The Hammers remain in the relegation zone after just their second Premier League win of the season but are now just three points behind 17th-placed Burnley, whom they play next week. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle took the lead courtesy of a fine early strike from Jacob Murphy, but Lucas Paquetá levelled and an own goal from the unfortunate Sven Botman gave the home team the advantage at half-time. The visitors made wholesale changes in the second half but were blunt in attack, and Tomas Soucek made sure of all three points for West Ham in the closing moments. Nuno was appointed West Ham…

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is delighted with his team’s 61-7 defeat of Japan at the weekend, but says the match was always a warm-up for this week’s monumental encounter with France in Paris. The Boks scored eight tries and were awarded a penalty try in shutting out Eddie Jones’ side. While the game had the potential to be tricky, South Africa closed the Japanese down from the first whistle to the last. “We have to give credit to the whole team,” said Erasmus. “Some of the players had not played for us in a while, such as Gerhard (Steenekamp), Franco (Mostert), Johan (Grobbelaar), Andre (Esterhuizen) at No 7, and Zachary (Porthen), who made his debut. “And then if you look at a player like Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) – who scored two…

Hugo Broos is set to put his head on the block later this week, and announce the final 23-member squad that will face Zambia in an international friendly next Saturday. Although there are a couple of new faces in the 43-member preliminary squad, Broos is expected to stick with tried and tested players for the friendly as he begins planning for the AFCON finals in Morocco next month. Not widening the selection pool by choosing mostly familiar players for the clash against Chipolopolo could backfire, especially if his regulars are ruled out of the continental showpiece due to form or injuries in the coming weeks. However, such is the depth of the squad Broos has assembled in the last few months that it would be a rare occurrence for him…

Netflix’s new South African romantic comedy, Love and Wine, has stirred debate following the release of its official trailer – with some fans accusing it of mimicking the Brazilian film Rich in Love. Set to premiere on December 5, the local production features well-known South African actors including Ntobeko Sishi, Thandolwethu Zondi, Thando Thabethe, Masali Baduza and Bongile Mantsai. The plot centres on Owethu Sikeba (Sishi), the heir to a wine empire, who makes a bet with his best friend Nathi (Zondi) to swop lives and prove his romantic success is not tied to his wealth. In the trailer, Nathi quips: “These girls wouldn’t even care about you if your name was Nathi Maseko instead of Owethu Sikeba.” Owethu replies: “Let’s swop, and I’ll prove to you that I can…

TABLE Mountain National Park (TMNP) has strengthened its safety operations with targeted upgrades to its Sea, Air and Mountain (SEAM) K9 Unit. The move comes after an operational review aimed at ensuring the dogs and their handlers can perform at peak levels while maintaining high welfare standards. Independent experts assessed the service dogs and their handlers. Some dogs were retired due to age or health considerations, while others were redeployed to other SANParks units to better match their skills with operational needs. The remaining dogs continue to play a vital role in anti-poaching patrols, visitor safety initiatives, and daily monitoring across the park. Upgrades to the K9 kennels have improved the dogs’ living conditions, while ongoing training programmes and handler development ensure the team remains sharp and motivated. SANParks regularly…

Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, has welcomed six official delegations from international partner regions to the 12th Regional Leaders’ Summit (RLS), taking place this week. The Western Cape Government will host the RLS at the Cape Town International Convention Centre under the theme, “Growth through Economic Resilience”. The RLS is a multilateral forum where the seven partner regions strengthen relations, focusing on key priority areas such as trade, investment, and safety. The summit takes place every two years, with members gathering to strengthen regional partnerships and trade; share expertise in addressing common challenges; and advance mutual growth and sustainable development that will benefit their respective citizens. For nearly 20 years, the RLS has been held biennially, attended by the leadership of subnational governments from five continents. Member regions represent around…

TWO adventurous friends are attempting to make motoring history and raise money for a good cause by driving from Devon, England, to Cape Town in one of the most unlikely vehicles imaginable: a three-wheeled Reliant Robin. For Oliver Jenks, 34, from Newton Abbot, and his Canadian travel companion, Seth Scott, 31, the 16 000km journey is equal parts daring, charity, and sheer madness. Their quirky blue vehicle, affectionately named Sheila the Three-Wheeler, has already drawn smiles, stares, and a fair bit of confusion as they rumble through towns on their way to South Africa. Speaking to the Cape Argus from Morocco, Scott admitted the journey has already lived up to its unpredictable promise. “It hasn’t been the smoothest start,” he laughed. “We need to get to the consulate to sort…

IN a powerful display of unity, thousands of Christian men from the Western Cape and beyond gathered at Athlone Stadium to pray for an end to gang violence and drug abuse. With more than 22 000 tickets booked for the event, local gospel star Neville D led the praise and worship, while testimonies from Ivor Swartz, Johnny Davids and Angus Buchan had men in tears and turbocharged to go out and make a positive difference in their communities. Among those who prayed for the violence and gang wars and drug abuse to end, was Jody Cupido. Cupido and his Hope Revolution peers arrived at the stadium in a van and a one-ton bakkie and stood out in their khakis. While their attire drew attention, the work they do in the…

Delivering a keynote address during the opening ceremony of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, held in October in Beijing, President Xi Jinping rallied the international community to work towards fostering conditions that allow women to realise their dreams in society. The Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women renders more impetus to the spirit of the 1995 World Conference on Women, also held in China, which adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Coming just under five years before the lapse of the UN Agenda 2030, and the failure of many countries to meet the SDG target on gender equality, the meeting was crucial in rebooting the attention of world leaders to the societal role of women, their often-overlooked agency, and the continuous struggles they face in living a self-fulfilling…

Debutant Springbok prop Zachary Porthen had a taste of Springbok glory at the weekend in the 61-7 victory against Japan at Wembley Stadium — and he wants more. The powerful 21-year-old forward made history by becoming the youngest Springbok prop to take the field in the professional era. “It was honestly unreal,” said Porthen, who scrummed strongly, hit 13 rucks, made nine tackles, and carried once in his 48 minutes on the field. “It was a dream come true to be on the same field as all those guys whom I’ve looked up to. I could only dream of it before, and now it has come true. It’s crazy. This is what I’ve wanted to do my whole life, and it is certainly the highlight of my career so far.…

ICC World Cup Final India: 298/7 Shafali Varma 87, Deepti Sharma 58, Ayabonga Khaka 3/58 South Africa: 246 all out Wolvaardt 101, Dercksen 35, Deepti Sharma 5/39 w India won by 52 runs Laura Wolvaardt carried her team on her shoulders, dragged them to the finish line, but ultimately could not single-handedly lead the Proteas Women to the promised land of a first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup title in Navi Mumbai on Sunday evening. Instead, that honour belongs to India, who on their third attempt after previous disappointments in 2005 and 2017, fulfilled the dreams and desires of a nation when captain Harmanpreet Kaur claimed the catch that clinched their maiden ICC Women’s World Cup trophy. It was a final the competition deserved, with the DY Patil Stadium decked in…

The Sharks’ American boss, Marco Masotti, has come out in support of beleaguered coach John Plumtree and says help is on the way as the team negotiates a difficult start to the United Rugby Championship. The Durban team has won just one of their opening five games and, last week, Masotti announced that Plumtree will step down as head coach at the end of the 2025-26 season. An interim technical consultant is to come in to assist. “The idea is to bring in an experienced person to help and offer fresh ideas and experience,” Masotti said. “John Plumtree fully supports this initiative and will have a say in the appointment and how that person is used.” The Sharks are understood to be talking to Brendan Venter, a wily advisor who…

South Africa’s three representatives in the CAF Interclub Competitions will discover their group-stage opponents on Monday afternoon when the draw for both the Champions League and Confederation Cup takes place at the SuperSport studios. There is the potential of Mamelodi Sundowns coming up against their former coach Rulani Mokwena, while Stellenbosch FC and Kaizer Chiefs could be drawn into the same Confederation Cup group. With Orlando Pirates eliminated in the preliminary round by St Elois Lupopo, Mamelodi Sundowns are left to carry the South African flag in the Champions League alone. The 2016 champions will be looking to go one better than last season, when they were beaten finalists. Intriguingly, Sundowns could find themselves in the same group as their conquerors and current title holders, Pyramids FC of Egypt. Miguel…

Somerset West police are investigating a case of house robbery after a 72-year-old man was ambushed by four men. Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said the victim was at home on a farm close to Firgrove when he was awoken by barking dogs at around 11pm on Wednesday last week. “He went outside to look, and upon his return, he found four unidentified men inside the residence. The suspects’ faces were covered with balaclavas, and they were wearing gloves. The suspects tied the complainant’s hands and went through the house. The suspects took firearms, ammunition, jewellery, and expensive wine and fled,” he said. The victim managed to untie himself at around 1am and contacted the police, Van Wyk added. DA MP Ian Cameron said: “This incident is yet another…

A VIDEO doing the rounds on social media showing a Manenberg student telling police officers he is not a gangster has sparked controversy, with some people saying he provoked the officers into assaulting him. Storm Munro, a design student and part-time videographer and video editor, said that on October 30 at around 1pm he was packing his bag to go to his uncle’s house to do some work, when the police arrived. What happened next was filmed by a number of residents, with Munro also sharing a recording he made. In it, he says that he is not a gangster as officers manhandled him. When they leave, he shouts that they don’t know who they are ‘f****** with”. Another angle shows the armed officers turn back, pepper-spray him and one…

After hanging up his badge after 36, Cape Town’s well-known police spokesperson warns young cops on how easily they can fall into a trap of corruption by starting with accepting a Coke. On Friday, Warrant Joseph Swartbooi completed his final day in the SAPS after starting his career in 1989. Cape Argus asked Swartbooi what his advice was for young officers who were starting out in their careers. He explained that to fall into the trap of corruption was as easy as accepting a small gift such as a Coke and to respect your colleagues. “Remain humble, yet firm in your values. If you are disciplined then you don’t have to answer for your actions. Remember that you are never greater than the organisation and never believe that anything…

Before you say I love you Sarah Gate Narrated by Freya Parker Audible Studios Sarah Gate's Before You Say I Love You is an incredibly touching and emotionally rich audiobook that takes you on a journey of love, loss, and healing. Released by Audible Studios just last month, and brought to life by the talented Freya Parker, the story pulls you in from the very first moment. At its core is Maddie Whittle, a woman still haunted by the grief of losing her brother six years ago. She’s trying to turn her family estate into a recovery retreat, a project that symbolises her attempt to rebuild both her life and her heart. But things get complicated when James Byron, an old schoolmate who’s searching for a runaway pig, unexpectedly enters…

Stellenbosch FC’s miserable run in the Betway Premiership continued on Sunday when they lost 2-0 to TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit. Galaxy scored a goal in each half and, in the process, snapped a sequence of back-to-back defeats. The outcome also marked Galaxy’s first league win over Stellenbosch since they joined the elite league three seasons ago. At the start, Stellenbosch showcased their dominance in possession but struggled in front of goal, leading to a somewhat frustrating first half. Despite enjoying a 60% possession advantage, Stellenbosch failed to break down an organised Galaxy defence, highlighting an issue that has plagued them in recent outings. In the first half, Stellenbosch had five shots on target; however, each scoring effort was denied by a resolute Galaxy defence. Ivorian goalkeeper…

South Africa’s young T20 side learnt some harsh lessons in Lahore on Saturday night as Pakistan completed a 2-1 comeback series win with a four-wicket victory in the decider — exposing the Proteas’ inexperience but also, coach Shukri Conrad believes, helping to paint a clearer picture for next year’s T20 World Cup. A largely experimental South African side had won the series opener in Rawalpindi convincingly before coming undone in back-to-back matches in Lahore on Friday and Saturday night. “It was rather disappointing, especially going 1-0 up and then coming to Lahore and not getting out the blocks,” Conrad admitted during Saturday’s post-match media conference. “We found ourselves in trouble every PowerPlay with the bat, and when you’re posting 110 or 140, you’re not going to win many games. The…

New Zealand overcame a 10-point deficit to secure a hard-fought 26-13 victory over 14-man Ireland at Soldier Field on Saturday, opening their bid for an Autumn Nations Series Grand Slam. Head coach Scott Robertson praised his team’s resilience after a disrupted and stop-start game. "It's special – we fought our way back into it," said Robertson. "It was a bit like an NFL game; there were so many stoppages and we just couldn't get any flow. “But the young guys came on and just kept playing, and playing fearlessly. It was great to see us execute." The match was marked early by controversy when Ireland lock Tadgh Beirne was shown a yellow card for an upright challenge on All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett. The decision was later upgraded to a…

Abdeslam Ouaddou is a fearless players’ coach. As long as a player is good enough to fit into his philosophy and team organisation, he will throw him in the deep end. Ouaddou showed that he has nerves of steel during the 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns in the Betway Premiership on Saturday afternoon in Tshwane. He started teenager Camren Dansin in midfield – an approach that initially appeared risky, as the youngster struggled against Sundowns’ experienced kingpins, including Bathusi Aubaas and Nuno Santos. Tension reached fever pitch when some Pirates players, particularly Tshepang Moremi, began shouting at the 19-year-old, prompting the Ghost to call for his substitution in only his second start for the club this season. So, when Peter Shalulile gave Sundowns the lead, it seemed that Dansin’s struggles…